Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar Disorder Dr Karine Macritchie Consultant Psychiatrist in Affective Disorders South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Key Questions Diagnostic difficulties Co-morbidity Is borderline personality disorder part of the bipolar spectrum? Treatments for the co-morbid
Diagnostic Difficulties
Diagnostic Difficulties Misdiagnosis of Bipolar Disorder is common Accurate diagnosis of bipolar disorder may take 8-10 years. (Lish et al, 1994; Hirschfeld et al, 2003; Morselli et al, 2003) Bipolar depression mistaken for major depressive disorder. (American Psychiatric Association, 2002) Co-morbidities e.g. borderline personality disorder is common and confounds the diagnostic picture. (McElroy et al, 2001; Sachs et al, 2000) Reference
Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder Features in Common Mood swings/affective instability Impulsivity Interpersonal relationship problems Suicidality Ghaemi SN et al. Acta Psychiatr Scan. 2014 Doi: 10.1111/acps.12257
Bipolar Disorder & Borderline Personality Disorder Bipolar Disorder Onset in teens or early 20s Spontaneous mood changes Euthymic, dysphoric, anxious, elated mood shifts Episodic impulsivity and risk-taking Borderline Personality Disorder No defined onset Mood changes precipitated by internal or external events Euthymic, dysphoric, anxious and angry mood shifts but elated mood is rare Chronic impulsivity and risk-taking Episodic suicide attempts related to depressive episodes Recurrent suicidal attempts associated with both depression and internal/external precipitants Self-harm rare Endorse depressed mood as descriptor Family history of bipolar I or II or recurrent depression Self-harm common Endorse emptiness as descriptor Family history negative for bipolar I, II and recurrent depression Adapted from Yatham L, et al. Bipolar Disord 2005: 7 (Suppl. 3): 5 69.
Bipolar Affective Episodes: Not as clear-cut as we thought? All episodes of bipolar disorder potentially include elements of depression, mania, anxiety or psychosis. These can exist in all permutations, and can vary independently or in parallel. Emergence of depression, mania, or psychosis in an episode where they were initially absent. Very few scales have been validated to measure any of these states in combination.
Mixed Mania and Mixed Depression Concept widened with a new specifier in DSM-5 Mania Mixed Mania + 3 or more Depressive symptoms Depression Mixed Depression+ 3 or more (hypo)manic symptoms Irritability, anxiety and agitation common (Young et al, 2014)
Softer bipolar conditions are often associated with rapid cycling There exist ultra-rapid-cycling forms where morose labile moods with irritable, mixed features constitute patient s habitual self, and are mistaken for borderline personality disorder. Akiskal, 1996 Caveat re. age and sex of patient! (Calabrese et al, 2001)
A Depressive Episode: Clues to Bipolar Disorder Family history Psychomotor retardation Mood instability Antidepressant misadventures: e.g. switches/poor response Early onset Atypical symptoms
Bipolar Disorder and Co-morbid Borderline Personality Disorder
Prevalence of Personality Disorders in Bipolar II Disorder Vieta et al 1999 J Nerv Ment Dis. 187(4):245-8
Comorbid Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder Implications for Prognosis Worse prognosis/response to medication More frequent psychiatric admissions Higher drop-out rates Increased risk of substance abuse Increased risk of suicide More impairment of social and occupational functioning Zimmerman M, Morgan TA. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2013;15:422.
Is Borderline Personality Disorder part of the Bipolar Spectrum?
Is Borderline Personality Disorder part of the Bipolar Spectrum? Maybe: some cases are closely linked in genetics, phenomenology, neuroimaging findings and treatment response. Family history and clinical features of bipolar illness in people with a current major depressive episode and comorbid borderline personality disorder. Stone et al, 2014 Perugi et al, 2013 No: the two are clinically distinguishable disorders. Ghaemi et al, 2014
Clinical Utility: Treatments in common and Treatments for co-morbidity
Pharmacotherapies Mood Stabilisers, SSRIs and Atypical Antipsychotics widely used in BPD. Some evidence to support the use of Lamotrigine and an NIHR Trial of Lamotrigine is currently underway (PI Crawford).
Dialectical Behavioural Therapies Van Dijk et al, 2013 A randomised, controlled pilot study of dialectical behaviour therapy skills in a psychoeducation group for individuals with bipolar disorder. Goldstein et al, 2014 Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) for adolescents with bipolar disorder-results from a pilot randomized trial.
Summary Bipolar disorder and BPD occur together, especially in secondary care. The putative place of BPD in the bipolar spectrum as yet uncertain. Both disorders share some symptoms and treatments. Honest doubt about diagnosis say so! Individually-tailored, pragmatic care.